A mental health peer champion is an employee who helps foster a supportive and inclusive workplace by promoting mental health awareness, encouraging open conversations, and connecting coworkers to available resources. Peer champions are not therapists or counselors. Instead, they serve as trusted colleagues who listen, share information, and help reduce stigma around mental health at work. 

Anyone can serve as a peer champion. You do not need to have lived experience with a mental health condition or formal training in mental health care. Peer champions are people who care about supporting their colleagues and want to help create a healthier workplace culture. Champions can come from any role or level within the organization. 

Employee champions promote mental health by modeling positive behaviors, addressing stigma, serving as an accessible internal resource, and supporting wellness initiatives. A good peer champion is respected by both colleagues and management, has a genuine passion for mental health, and is willing to serve as a visible advocate for workplace well-being. 

Peer champions are not responsible for resolving mental health challenges or providing clinical advice. It is important for champions to recognize when a situation is beyond peer support and to encourage professional help through HR, EAPs, or external services when needed. 

Formal training is not always required to serve as a mental health peer champion. That said, some workplaces or mental health ERGs offer optional or suggested trainings to build confidence and shared skills. These may include programs such as Mental Health First Aid, SHRM/PsychHub, or other workshops focused on recognizing how to support colleagues in need of support and understanding workplace mental health resources. Additional training recommendations can be found here.

Mental health peer champions support workplace mental health in several key ways: 

1. Listening and Support:

• Check in with colleagues and provide a safe, confidential space to talk. 

• Listen without judgment and offer encouragement. 

2. Connecting to Resources:

• Share information about workplace mental health resources (HR, EAPs, benefits). 

• Direct colleagues to professional support when needed. 

3. Awareness and Advocacy:

• Serve as allies and ambassadors for mental health awareness initiatives. 

• Participate in panels, workshops, internal communications, or company initiatives to share stories and normalize conversations. 

• Promote inclusive practices and a sense of belonging across teams. 

4. Leadership and Education:

• Educate colleagues on best practices for mental health, equity, and inclusion. 

• Encourage open dialogue and diverse perspectives in team and organizational discussions. 

• Provide feedback on programs, policies, or ERG initiatives to strengthen workplace mental health support. 

Start by expressing interest to HR, an ERG leader, or your manager. You can also begin informally by learning about your company’s mental health resources and being intentional about supportive conversations with coworkers. If no formal role exists, you may be able to initiate a program by advocating for a peer champion program within your ERG or workplace in order to build structure over time. 

Mental health champion networks often partner with ERGs (including mental health ERG), host office hours to guide employees to resources, and organize workshops or skill-building sessions. They may also organize awareness campaigns and wellness challenges to foster well-being, connection, and a culture that reduces stigma. 

Time commitments vary depending on your comfort and availability. Peer champions often participate in occasional check-ins with employees, workshops, or events, which by themselves usually do not require more than a few hours per month.  

No. Peer champions are not required to track conversations or report personal details. Their role focuses on support, trust, and awareness, rather than monitoring. Information should only shared with HR or licensed professionals if there is a safety concern or if someone asks to be connected to formal support.

• How to Create a Workplace Mental Health Champion Network — WebMD Health Services 

• Building a Workplace Peer Support Program — ThriveNYC   

• Workplace Mental Health Trainings (for Allies) — MHA 

• PGIM’s Mental Health Champions Program  — Mind Share Partners 

• Google: The Big Story Behind the Little Blue Dot — Google Blog 

• Accenture: How Accenture is Creating a Sense of Belonging and Connection (Mental Health Allies) — Accenture Blog  

• BlackRock’s Mental Health Ambassador Program —BlackRock Blog 

• Philips: Meet the Mental Health Champions — Philips Careers